The present invention relates to a knocking activated device and a method for operating an electromechanical device, particularly a locking mechanism.
Known in the prior art, there is U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,833 (Farina et al.) which describes sound transmitter circuit for producing frequency coded sound waves and a receiver circuit which transforms the sound waves into electrical signals to permit a garage door to open or to close.
Also known in the art, there is U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,298 (Slopack) which describes an electromechanical door opening and closing device which can be voice or sound activated.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,438,312 (Lewis); 5,659,291 (Kennedy et al.); and 5,831,520 (Stephan) describe different systems for preventing car keys to be locked inside a vehicle.
The following U.S. Patents describe other systems for operating doors:
A drawback with all of the above mentioned patents is that no method or system is proposed for operating an electromechanical device by means of knockings in a simple and secure manner.
An object of the present is to provide a method or an apparatus for operating an electromechanical device in a simple and secure manner.
According to the present invention, there is provided a knocking activated device for operating an electromechanical device responsive to a control signal. The knocking activated device comprises a vibration transducer for generating a signal in response to knockings on a solid object. It also comprises a storing system for storing data representative of a predetermined sequence of knocks. The device further comprises a user operable interface for changing the data stored in the storing means. The device also comprises a comparing system for comparing the signal generated by the vibration transducer with the data stored in the storing means to produce the control signal when the signal generated by the vibration transducer matches the predetermined sequence of knocks.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method for operating an electromechanical device responsive to a control signal, comprising the steps of:
(a) storing data representative of a predetermined sequence of knocks through a user operable interface;
(b) once step (a) has been performed at least one time, generating a signal in response to knockings on a solid object; and
(c) comparing the signal generated in step (b) with the data stored in step (a) to produce the control signal when the signal generated in step (b) matches the predetermined sequence of knocks.